Liquid-measuring device



Aug' 19, 1952 c. J. OVERMYER ETAL 2,607,122

LIQUID-MEASURING DEVICE Filed July 31, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 muy INVENToRs.

` Aug- 19, 1952 c. J. ovl-:RMYR ErAL 2,607,122

LIQUID-MEASURING DEVICE Filed July 31, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 @tilllll 46% Q 'INVENToRs .50 M4 50 @fd/@ W Aug. 19, 1952 c. J. ovERMYl-:R ETAL 2,607,122

l LIQUID-MEASURING DEVICE Filed July 31, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR'.

Aug 19, 1952 -c. J. ovERMYER Erm. 2,607,122

LIQUID-MEASURING DEVICE Filed July 31, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 5d Il f jig I* I MEM @5 mllljllmll INVENTORS.

Patented Aug. 19, 1952 2,607,122 f Y Lronrn.Mnnsmune.-novicel Calvin JQ. Overmyer,V Oak Park, and Willard' This inventionI rellfite'sl to liquid-measuring devices and. more particula-:fly` toI devices of this character by means `of which.predetcrminedV portions4 of. various.v liquids may bef accurately.V measured. in amixing.. container. twins-ure adesired.- proportion of eachingredient inVVV the. resultant.

mixture.

While our invention may-be-used in accurately determining thel proportions.- of ingredients of. any` type .of liquid. mixture, the embodiments: ofV

ourv invention disclosed. `hereinafterv are. es.-`

pfecially` adapted. to he. usedl hyj paint dealers: in.

paintsbfany. 'desiredcolor for. customers.u

The average retailpaint` dealer` isfusually uri--v able to carry. in stock.. alli the. various .colors of..

paint which are desiredv b'y customers either. for original painting purposes or. for touching-.upoofjectsalread'y painted.. To. meet this.- situation.

paint! manufacturers. mayv provide their. dealers with color chartsr to. facilitate the.k matching,- of

; 5cl-aims; (C1. sag-126.71

colors. The chartiitself'. @printed-material supplementalV thereto,.. may Vprovide.` instructions:v as

to, the proportions of. various.. standard. colorsl provide. a` rifiniture of: theA which when combined desired shade or.. color.`l`

lIn. following. these diicultly is. frequentlyexperienced fin accurately measuring the exactproportionfof eachingredient of the ultimate mixture; Eailuretolat.- tainthe accuracy. desiredV usually. produces` aresultant mixture. witl.-y is slightly olif-.color` and,

thusunsatisfactory to they purchaser ofthe. i'nal'Y product;V especially when it' isto be.employed4v for repair purposes `Such as,. for.. examplm, touching up'the' paintl on .f-urniture, automobiles, orother' objects;`

Itisl an object' of' thiinventiom therefore; to" provide4V a' liquid' measuringdevice which can hev conveniently employed.tome'asure accurately' the" proportions of` thevariousingredientstobe come bined to provide a resultant mixture oi siredpredetermined constituency; 1

It is a' further objectT of: this" invention to DlO.L

videfa *paintemeasuring device which m'ayiloe` conveniently` employed-tdm'easure nac'cu1"a tely the" proportions of" ingredient-'s' toY be con'iloined` to` pn'ml'uce-r a' resultant paint' mixture of'.` a desired predetermine'df colorierc shade:

4'It is a stm furtherfQbject-r qfeihisinvennbrr tu provide a painti-m'easpringT device lwhich* nrrayjbe conveniently employed ineonne'ction withNv an ordi'rliarypaintv receptacle#to` accurately measure' the proportions offingredients' inh the` resultant" paint mixture. f y

'further' objectsand advantages 'of thisinvem tion will' become' apparent fronrthefollowing de'- vinstrLicti'ons; however,V

' of this inventions the liquidrI-nieasuririg deviceinvention reference scription. taken'v in. .cor'mectin with thev accompanyng drawingsand.. appendedclaims.

In carrying outu this invention in onelform there is provided a liquid-measuring device-coml prising aframehaving. a vertical. portionvadapted to loei positioned. in xed relationadjacent the rim.- of` an open top container and a-v horizontal portion adapted to: rest. zinsaid rim.. said hori-` zontal.portion.incliding-.apair 4of.downwardlyY extending arcuate bosses, adapted tobelreeeived in a circumferential recess finsaidrim, ann-elongated element-mounted on said; framerfor vertical adjustmentl relative thereto and/projecting downwardly into saidcontainer, meansfor reciprocating... saidelongated` elementI relative to saidframe, arigidlolateor disersecured tothe lower end of said elongated element and havingits lower surfaceparallel'fto-the bottom of saidcontainer, and means comprising indicia-- on said elongated element. cooperativev withA any indicator onsaid frame fory determining.v thev heightv of said surface. f romzthe bottom ofsaid container.

I .n accordance. with- VaA further.' embodiment of this invention the liquid-measuring device com# prises a-frame, abasefor supporting: a liquid receptacle or container;l andastanchion extending upwardlyv fromsaid loasefiunl securing said' frame in a fixed. relation adjacentthe.rimof thecon.- tai-ner.. f 1 Y i Inl accordancewith. astilll further embodimentcomprises@ a frame having; a. horizontal portionadapted. torest ontlie Irim-of` an opentop contain-v erg. saidI horizontal portion includingV a pair oid ownvvardlyv extendingarcuate. bosses for em'- 'braeing the Wall ofsaid container onitlnev inside shown in Fig. 1';

devioei Fig. 6 isaY sectionaif view "teren along iin-e f of"applicants?'mentionshowingits relationship to a paint c'an`wh'ich isipartiail'y broken-away Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a modified form of a certain component of applicants invention;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of another modified form of a certain component of applicants invention;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view partially broken away of a modified form of another component cf applicants invention;

Fig. 11 is a partial front elevational view of the modification shown in Fig. 10; and

Fig. 12 is a partial sectional view taken in the direction of arrows |2-l2 in Fig. 10. f y,

With particular reference to Fig. 1 there is provided a frame 22 having a vertical portion 23 and a horizontal portion or arm 24 integral therewith. Arm 24 is provided with a pair of arcuate bosses 28 extending downwardly therefrom and adapted to be received in the annular recess 38 provided in the upper rim 32 of an ordinary paint can 34. By means of the bosses 28 the arm `24 is prevented from'falling'oif the rim 32 upon which the arm normally rests when the device is in use.

Referring to Fig. 5, frame 22 houses a pinion 36 secured to shaft 31 and operable by means of a control knob 38. The control knobis secured to the shaft by a set screw 39 and is biased away from the frame by a leaf spring 4i (Fig. 2). The pinion is engageable with a rack 40 secured to an elongated element 42- which is extendable vertically into the interior of the can 34. As shown in Figs. l and 2, a rigid plate or disc 44 including a bracketvportion 45 is secured to the bottom of element 42 by means of a. screw 46. VBracket 45 includes a pair of flanges 41 for embracing element 42 whereby the upper and lower flat surfaces 48 and 50 of the disc, respectively, are maintained parallel to the bottom 52 of the can.

The vertical element 42 is provided with indicia 54 which may be uniformly spaced markings from to 128 to represent. for example, the number of ounces in a one-gallon can. A plate 56 having a pointer or indicator 58 thereon is secured to the front of thev frame by means of screws 6D. By turning control lknob 38 vertical element 42 may be reciprocated relative to the pointer 58 between the 0 and 128 markings, the

bent-over finger 62 (Fig. 1) at the upper end of element 42 serving to locate and stop element 52 with the pointer 58 opposite the (l marking when finger 62- contacts the top 64 of the frame, and the upwardly bent portion 66 of plate 44 serving to stop and limit element 42 with the pointer opposite the 128 marking when it contacts the lower edge 68 of plate 56. When the pointer is opposite the 0 marking thevlower surface 50 of plate 44 rests on the bottom of the can and when the pointer is opposite the 128 marking the lower surface of the plate parallels and just contacts the surface of a full gallon (not shown) of paint in a can. As illustrated in Fig. l, where the pointer 58 is shown opposite the 50 marking on the vertical element. the lower surface 50 of plate 44 is parallel with and just contacts the surface 51 of 5D ounces of A paint in the can.

Plate 44 is provided with a centrally located aperture 'l0 beveled downwardly ad radially inwardly completely through the plate. `The periphery 55 (Fig. 1) of the plate is beveled downwardly and radially outwardly whereby the upper surface 48 of the plate is rendered slightly smaller in area than the lower surface 50. When using applicantsdevicethe height kof the plate vin aperture 10 of a blister of paint (not shown) which increases in size as the paint commences to rise 'in the aperture, and by the apparent `decrease in size of plate 44 as the paint gradually risesjon `the beveled periphery 55. Second and subsequent ingredients may be added Vand i I similarly admitted into the can or mixing receptacle in a `predetermined amount and proportion 'by raising and resetting element 42 according to mixing instructions and again adding the ingredients untilA the surface of the mixture again contacts the lower surface 50 of plate 44.

It will beunderstood,`of course, that the indicia or markings on element 42 are somewhat arbitrary and may be changed. for example, "if it is desired to use the device with mixing receptacles of smaller or larger size than one gallon. However, the same markings may-be used as disclosed in Fig. 1, if the paint mixing instructions which may be -provided are given-forsmaller or larger size container quantities. a Also, if the instructions for mixing are givenfor a fixed mixture Yquantity the operator himself may interpret the instructions so as toI conform them Fig. 9 discloses a further modification in that the rigid plate 16 is formed of translucent ma- '1 terial, which may be plastic. Contact of the surface of paint with the Vlowersurface 18 of plate 'I6 is indicated by a substantial'change in appearance ofthe 4plate caused by changes in the reflection Vof/'light from the'surface ofthe paint therethrough.' Y j; y

Referring to Fig.'7, there is provided a further modified form of applicants" invention wherein the frame' lis secured adjacent the upper rim 32 of the paint can. by means Yof a' supporting stanchion 82secured to andextending upwardly from a base 84 which may also be used to 'support the paint can. The device disclosed in-this embodiment, exceptV for' the 'manner of supporting the frame.. 80, is Asubstantially the same in design and operation vas the device disclosed in Fig. 1. f Referring to Figs. 10, 1l, and 12, there is shown a still further. modification of applicants' invention which Vis adapted lfinfuse with paint receptacles of larger size than `those shownl in Figs. 1 and 2. For4 exam-ple,`i 'fivef'gallon vpaint cans, such as the canv 88` (Fig. 1Q),Y are. usually provided with a pairfof 'annular'bulgea 86j and adapted to embrace theinner side of portion 8l of the can between the bulges. Centrally of the horizontal portion 83 there is provided thereon a longer downwardly extending boss 81 having an upper arcuate inner surface 89 for embracing the upper bulge 86 and a lower arcuate inner surface 92 for embracing the lower bulge 90 whereby the frame is supported on the can with the horizontal portion 83 thereof resting on the rim 8| of the can. The device disclosed in this embodiment, except for the manner of supporting the frame, is also substantially the same in design and operation as the device disclosed in Fig. 1.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that many changes and modifications may be made in the structure described in the foregoing without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. While several embodiments are disclosed above it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made and it is contemplated, therefore, by the appended claims, to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

We claim:

1. A device for determining the quantity of liquid in an open top container of known capacity, comprising a frame adapted to be positioned in xed relation adjacent the rim of said container, an elongated element mounted on said frame for vertical adjustment relative thereto and projecting downwardly into said container, means for reciprocating said elongated element relative to said frame, and a rigid plate secured to the lower end of said elongated element and having its lower surface normally parallel to the surface of said liquid, said plate comprising a beveled aperture and a beveled periphery Yfor visually detecting contact of said liquid therewith.

2. A device for determining the quantity of liquid in an open tcp container of known capacity, comprising a frame adapted to be positioned in fixed relation adjacent the rim of said container, an elongated element mounted on said frame for vertical adjustment relative thereto and projecting downwardly into said container, means for reciprocating said elongated element relative to said frame, and a rigid plate secured to the lower end of said elongated element and having its lower surface normally parallel to the surface of said liquid, said plate comprising a beveled aperture for visually detecting contact of said liquid therewith.

3. A device for determining the quantity of liquid in an open top container of known capacity, comprising a frame adapted to be positioned in fixed relation adjacent the rim of said container, said frame including a horizontal portion adapted to rest on said rim, a pair of downwardly extending bosses secured to said horizontal portion and adapted to be received in a circumferential recess in said rim, an elongated element mounted on said frame for vertical adjustment relative thereto and projecting downwardly into said container, means for reciprocating said elongated element relative to said frame, and a rigid plate secured to the lower end of said elongated element and having its lower surface normally parallel to the surface of said liquid, said plate comprising a beveled aperture for visually detecting contact of said liquid therewith.

4. A device for determining the quantity of liquid in an open top container of known capacity, comprising a frame, a base for supporting said container, a stanchion extending upwardly from said base for securing said frame in xed relation adjacent the rim of said container, an elongated element mounted on said frame for vertical adjustment relative thereto and projecting downwardly into said container, means for reciprocating said elongated element relative to said frame, and a rigid plate secured to the lower end of said elongated element and having its lower surface normally parallel to the surface of said liquid, said plate comprising a beveled aperture for visually detecting contact of said liquid therewith.

5. A device for determining the quantity of liquid in an open top container of known capacity and having inner and outer wall portions adjacent the rim thereof, comprising a frame adapted to be positioned in fixed relation overlying said rim, said frame including a horizontal portion adapted to rest on said rim, a pair of downwardly extending arcuate bosses secured to said horizontal portion and adapted to embrace said inner and outer wall portions, an elongated element mounted on said frame for vertical adjustment relative thereto and projecting downwardly into said container, means for reciprocating said elongated element relative to said frame. and a rigid plate secured to the lower end of said elongated element and having its lower surface normally parallel to the surface of said liquid, said plate comprising a beveled aperture and a beveled periphery for visually detecting contact of said liquid therewith.

CALVIN J. ovERMYER. wnLARD E. GIEsE. HOWARD F. WECKEL.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNrrED sTA'rEs PATENTS 

